Why I chose teaching

Whether as a teacher or as a student, I have considered every moment to be full of possible knowledge and understanding within my life. As such, personal and professional growth constantly intertwines, allowing each other to develop together. Reading articles or listening to lectures provide a wealth of essential information, while personal interaction refines this information, develops unique perspectives, allows for further interest, and eventually understanding, on a topic. These developments of my educational process, through both formal and informal institutions, led to my decision to pursue a career as a teacher.

The study of history has certainly furthered this process of development. At an early age, teachers showed me the wonders of visiting the past, whether it was the ancient city of Rome, or the history of my own hometown. As I gathered information, I gained insight into my own life. Why had the American colonies broken away from Great Britain? Why did George Washington not assume the position of king? Why did events occur the way that they did? As I constantly pondered these questions, I became increasingly interested. Each person should be interested in their own past. Not only out of simple curiosity, but because it constantly affects our current selves. As a social studies teacher, I hope to ask these questions of my students, and that they ask these of me.

It is my belief that every student has the ability to succeed. The failure of the student to obtain sufficient grade marks betrays each student’s ability to persevere through difficulty and rigor in the academic setting. It is the duty of the teacher to encourage this perseverance, as well as constantly making changes to the academic setting to allow each and every student to demonstrate their abilities.

When working with students, I constantly strive to find an appropriate balance in order to generate a mutually respectful relationship. Through student interaction, I hope to establish a relationship that reflects my interest in student growth and success, both in school and outside. But I also strongly encourage interaction between peers, allowing students to grow and discover their own learning preferences through social means.